Gordon-Watson goes to €2.4 million for 'best Dubawi filly I've ever seen'

A Dubawi filly from a truly outstanding Niarchos family and consigned by Haras d’Etreham blew the lid off the second day of the Arqana August Yearling Sale when selling to Charlie Gordon-Watson for €2.4 million.

The attractive February-born filly is the third foal out of the Galileo mare Typique, a daughter of Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Denebola and a half-sister to Beta Leo, the dam of Prix de Diane victress Senga, and Mohini, who has produced last year’s Park Hill Stakes winner and Prix de Royallieu runner-up Pista.

Gordon-Watson said: “She’s from the best Niarchos family, it has Group 1 two-year-old winners and she’s by Dubawi. Her dam’s first two foals were very good and Andre Fabre loved her. She’s beautiful, she’s the best Dubawi filly I’ve ever seen.”

Possessing a typically in-depth Niarchos pedigree, the filly also hails from the family of Prix Morny winner Coup De Genie, a full-sister to Machiavellian and herself the dam of two further stakes winners in Loving Kindness and Glia.

Her page had received significant recent updates, with her Invincible Spirit half-sister Babylone striking in the Prix de Malleret last month, while Babylone’s full-sister Assyrian Queen was a fine second on her debut for Andre Fabre at Deauville this month.

Charlie Gordon-Watson signs the docket for the sale-topping Dubawi fillyCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

The sale was a notable success for young breeding outfit Haras Voltaire, which races both Babylone and Assyrian Queen, and whose founder Thierry Gillier is also behind clothing label Zadig & Voltaire.

Typique was purchased at Goffs in November 2016 for €450,000 by agent Laurent Benoit.

“I’m very happy for the Haras, who are only in their early years, and I have to thank them for placing their trust in us,” said Benoit.

“It’s an example which shows you can make serious investments here in France, and I hope there will be others and that the industry can continue with such dynamism.”

Sensational Siyouni to the fore

The hugely potent Siyouni - Galileo cross and a massive page update were at the forefront of buyers’ imaginations as the Ecurie des Monceaux-consigned Siyouni colt realised €1.5m to Oliver St Lawrence.

Just weeks after his Dark Angel sibling Angel Bleu landed the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, this colt provided another excellent result for the sadly deceased Cercle De La Vie, a full-sister to the globetrotting Highland Reel, Australian top-level victor Cape Of Good Hope and the multiple Group-winning Idaho.

“He’s a lovely horse, a standout,” said St Lawrence, who was with regular ally Fawzi Nass. “It was great to get that update because the two-year-old looks a proper horse, and if we can be as good as that we’ve done our job correctly. I suspect he’ll go to England to be trained.”

St Lawrence was also swift in securing Baroda Stud’s Sea The Stars half-sister to Prix la Force winner Chilean when signing the docket at €575,000. She is the fifth foal out of the Listed-winning Duke Of Marmalade mare Childa and from the family of Rahaam, the dam of blue-chip producer Cassandra Go.

Juddmonte gets in on the action

Dubawi’s popularity came to the fore again when Juddmonte’s Simon Mockridge signed for a half-sister to Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Wonderment at €900,000.

The Banstead Manor Stud director proved that persistence pays off when he saw off a flurry of bids for the athletic filly consigned by Haras de l’Hotellerie, who will hold plenty of residual value after her racing career has concluded.

The Dubawi half-sister to Wonderment sells to Juddmonte's Simon MockridgeCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Out of dual winner Wiwilia, a daughter of Konigstiger who was picked up by Andi Wyss for €20,000 at the BBAG Spring HIT Sale, the filly’s third dam is none other than Wurfbahn, the granddam of Waldmark, matriarch of the wonderful ‘W’ family which includes Waldlerche, the dam of Arc hero Waldgeist and the talented Waldkonig.

Aside from her obvious racing credentials, the daughter of the Darley supersire will likely prove an asset for Juddmonte’s broodmare band in the future.

“She’s a beautiful filly with a very easy action and has Group 1 winners under the first three dams, which is important,” said Mockridge. “She’s an outcross pedigree for us in the future and we’re very pleased.

“In terms of where she goes, it will be discussed with the family and then we’ll make a decision.”

Kingman with another big hitter

Anthony Stroud sprung into action when going to €850,000 for Haras de Saint Pair’s Kingman colt out of the Listed-winning Group 1-placed Via Pisa, an athletic individual who can count Japanese Grade 1 victor Admire Mars on his page.

The third foal out of the Pivotal mare, a Listed winner and third in the Premio Lydia Tesio for Freddy Head and Haras de Saint Pair, the colt comes from a family that could provide further updates with his Frankel half-brother Green Fly winning on his second start for Jean-Claude Rouget this summer.

Palace Pier had again advertised his sire’s potency earlier in the day with a second straight victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois across the road, and Stroud said: “He comes from a very good farm and [in terms of Kingman] we’ve had Palace Pier and we’ve got a very good two year-old by the sire who I bought here last year, as well as Persian King. And he’s a very athletic horse.”

Stroud was also not to be denied when landing Ecurie des Monceaux’s daughter of Dubawi and the winning Galileo mare Davantage for Godolphin at €650,000. The chestnut is a half-sister to Prix Miesque winner Devant, herself a half-sister to two stakes winners.

Magnier love in for St Mark’s sire

MV Magnier has every reason to be impressed with Siyouni progeny after St Mark’s Basilica’s dazzling displays in France and Britain this term, and the Coolmore magnate won the battle to secure Ecurie des Monceaux’s Siyouni filly at €650,000.

She is the first foal out of the winning Shamardal mare Correze, a daughter of Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Cloud Castle and a half-sister to Queen’s Best, a Group 3 winner and dam of Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf scorer Queen’s Trust, plus Urban Castle, the dam of multiple American Grade 1 victor Domestic Spending.

Magnier said: “Sottsass was a fantastic horse and hopefully St Mark’s Basilica could be something very special so Siyouni is doing very well.

“Monceaux do an incredible job and she was a very nice filly, a lot of people liked her. In fairness to Henri Bozo the whole team there does a fantastic job and let’s hope she’s lucky for everyone.”

‘We loved her as an individual’

Frankel’s blistering form with his progeny on the track this year transferred to the Arqana sales ring when Ecurie des Monceaux’s half-sister to two stakes winners and from the family of Sole Power made €525,000 to Gordon-Watson.

Out of a winning and stakes-placed Dutch Art half-sister to the European champion sprinter, the winner of the King’s Stand, two Nunthorpes and Al Quoz Sprint, the daughter of Banstead Manor Stud’s red-hot sire came in for emphatic praise from the leading agent.

Gordon-Watson, who revealed the filly would go to either Andre Fabre or John Gosden, said: “We like Frankel with a speed family and Dutch Art’s a good broodmare sire for speed. The dam has bred two nice horses already.”

The 12-year-old in question, Sotka, has produced two Group winners in Prix Sigy victress Fas and Prix Bertrand de Tarragon winner Silva, and Gordon-Watson expects her April-born filly to thrive with age.

He added: “We loved her as an individual, she was a late foal so she’s only going to improve. We love to buy from Monceaux, they’re the best, and we love Frankel.”

Magnier strikes for Derby winner’s half-sister

As a half-sister to 2017 Derby winner Wings Of Eagles, Haras de Montaigu’s Galileo filly looked one of the standout lots of the sale, both physically and because of her family credentials.

Bidding for the daughter of Coolmore’s late, great sire reached €500,000, with MV Magnier outgunning his rivals to secure the good-looking grey.

Haras de Montaigu’s Galileo half-sister to Wings Of Eagles takes a turn around the Arqana sales ringCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Out of the multiple Group-placed Kendor mare Ysoldina, a half-sister to Prix Saint-Alary winner Belle Et Celebre and the high-class Scandinavian performer Appel Au Maitre, the filly’s page received yet another boost with Baby Run, a son of Ysoldina’s stakes-placed Oasis Dream daughter Gyrella, winning this year’s Prix Greffulhe.

“She’s a lovely filly and in fairness to Sybille [Gibson] and the team at Montaigu, they’re great breeders with great history behind them,” said Magnier. “She’s a lovely filly and Wings Of Eagles was a very good horse, so let’s be hopeful. She looks like a nice filly and we look forward to her.”

Skiffington on form

Wootton Bassett continues to produce strong results across the sales rings and his Coulonces-consigned son of the Listed-placed Bhageerathi caught the imagination of many when heading the way of Amanda Skiffington for €500,000.

“He’s just a lovely, lovely horse by a horse who I think is a very good stallion,” said Skiffington. “That’s whereabouts we expected to have to go for him. He’s a very nice horse and you don’t buy a very nice horse by a good stallion cheaply.”

“He’s for Fiona Carmichael and we’re going to buy a few horses and see what we get before we decide where they go. All of them will go to Malcolm Bastard and then we’ll see.”

The Coulonces-consigned Wootton Bassett colt sells to Amanda Skiffington for €500,000Credit: Zuzanna LUPA

While Wootton Bassett has moved to Coolmore, Etreham has high hopes for his son Almanzor and Skiffington produced another winning bid at €450,000 for Haras des Capucines’ filly, who was the subject of a welcome and extremely recent boost when her Siyouni half-sister Who Knows took the opening Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville earlier in the day.

Already a half-sister to German 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Dream, the March-born filly is the sixth foal out of the Listed-winning Poliglote mare Zain Al Boldan. Further back in the page is Prix de Malleret winner Never Forget, a half-sister to the hugely popular and much missed Grade 1-winning chaser Top Notch.

“She’s beautiful and I thought she was the best-looking filly here,” said Skiffington. “And the sister winning today didn’t hurt.

“I didn’t expect the sire’s horses to be early when I saw them last year but he was a very good racehorse, and as long as you have patience...”

Australia the long term home for Galileo filly

Michael Donoghoe of BBA Ireland came out on top at €400,000 for a Galleo half-sister to Lowther Stakes heroine Besharah consigned by Anna Sundstrom.

“I bought her for Yulong Investments so she’ll go back to Ireland to be broken before probably going to Jessica Harrington,” said Donoghoe.

“The pedigree is all there in the book and she has been bought as a long term prospect, she is a rare commodity. And his brother in America Modern Times has his black type now and looks like he could win a stakes race so we thought she was a good buy.”

Owner Zhang Yuesheng has already enjoyed success with Harrington thanks to the exploits of recent Ballycorus Stakes winner Real Appeal and last year’s Group 1 Phoenix Stakes hero Lucky Vega, who is due to take up stallion duties at Yulong this southern hemisphere season.

Strong result for Saxon Warrior

Coolmore’s first-crop sire and 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior received a positive reception, especially when his colt out of the multiple stakes-winning Artistic Jewel sold to Oliver St Lawrence for €370,000.

Consigned by Haras de Bourgeauville, the colt is the third foal out of the daughter of Excellent Art and Danish Gem, the dam of another stakes winner in Distant Music mare Ponty Rossa.

St Lawrence, who went to €750,000 for the Dubawi colt out of Prix Minerve scorer Golden Valentine on Saturday, said that the colt would race for the same connections in KHK Racing.

‘I love the pedigree’

There were signs of sparks early on in the session when Jean-Pierre Dubois, a hugely respected breeder in both the racing and trotting worlds, went to €360,000 to secure the Haras d’Etreham-consigned Dubawi filly, a granddaughter of Beverly D Stakes and Prix de Malleret heroine Royal Highness.

Another bred on the highly influential Dubawi - Galileo cross that famously produced last year’s world champion and Kildangan Stud resident Ghaiyyath, plus Darley’s in-demand sire Night Of Thunder, the filly is out of a daughter of Monsun who proved a high-class performer for Pascal Bary and Christophe Clement.

“I loved the pedigree, especially with Monsun in the background there,” said Dubois, a confirmed fan of the late German-based stallion ever since he bred Stacelita. “She doesn’t have the most imposing physique but if she had then I suppose she would have been more expensive. I don’t know where she will go into training.”

Kinane at the double

Ecurie des Monceaux’s Frankel colt out of the Listed-winning Oasis Dream mare Sabratah proved popular, selling to Mick Kinane on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €320,000.

A full-brother to the Group 3-placed Syrtis, second to subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Line Of Duty in the Prix de Conde - and the useful Valyrian Steel, the colt is out of a mare who is a half-sister to Sovereign Stakes scorer and multiple Swedish Group scorer Kick On.

Kinane said: “He’s a lovely big horse and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to buy him so I’m happy I got him. He’ll go to Hong Kong. He looks like he’ll be a fast sort of Frankel, which hopefully will do for us.”

Mick Kinane: in action at ArqanaCredit: Patrick McCann

Kinane also struck the winning bid on the following Monceaux-consigned Showcasing colt at €300,000.

A half-brother to two stakes winners, the son of Whitsbury Manor Stud’s stalwart sire is from a family that includes dual Australian Group 1 scorer Contributer, Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Shaka and Prix d’Arenberg victress Sorciere.

Kinane added: “I loved him, I thought he looked a really nice horse and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t make a racehorse.”

Reflecting on the weekend sessions, Kinane said: “I was on one yesterday but the vendor was not for parting with him. That was all I had and then today I didn’t think I’d get both of these. I went down to Monceaus and they have a great consignment and it’s a lovely farm.”

The sale continues from 12pm BST today, when among the highlights are La Motteraye’s Lope De Vega filly out of Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Honor Bound, an Authorized half-sister to Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach (Lot 196); the Arcadia Elevage-consigned Havana Gold colt out of a full-sister to Al Kazeem (206); and Haras de Montaigu’s Almanzor filly from the family of Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Sprint Cup winner Hello Youmzain (326).

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